Dinosaur Depot Museum to close indefinitely

Garden Park Paleontology Society will continue with its mission

Executive Director of the Dinosaur Depo Museum Jon Stone speaks at a press conference Friday announcing the closure of the museum on March 3. (Jeff Shane/ Daily Record)

The Garden Park Paleontology Society officially announced Friday it will close the doors of the Dinosaur Depot Museum at its location at 330 Royal Gorge Blvd. on March 3.

"This doesn't mean the end of dinosaurs in Cañon City, by any means," said Jon Stone, GPPS president and Dinosaur Depot executive director.

Stone said the current location was meant to be a stepping stone to a larger facility when the museum and laboratory were moved there in 1995.

"Occupying around 3,000 feet, the facility was considered to be a stopping-off point on the journey toward a larger facility," he said. "There has simply not been enough room to expand exhibits and activities that would allow us to make the museum financially sustainable at its current location."

Pat Monaco, a founding member of the GPPS board, said the nonprofit organization has been working to find an alternate location since establishing the museum in 1995.

"While exciting ideas have been developed, none yet have resulted in an alternative site," she said. "We now want to focus our energies on securing a more appropriate, and sustainable, facility to last for decades to come."

Museum staff and volunteers were visibly saddened Friday when Stone explained the closure to media. Becky Walker, board member for the GPPS, credited the staff and volunteers for the museum's success.

"Without the incredible league of volunteers that have donated tens of hours to our museum, we never would have been as successful as we have been," she said.

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"Our employees have made personal sacrifices throughout the years to the benefit of our organization."

She said Stone has donated his hours as the organization's full-time director since 2001.

The GPPS organized in 1988 with a small office at the Bureau of Land Management's local office. Initial work on a small stegosaurus took place in a barn on the grounds of the Holy Cross Abbey.

"The GPPS is a treasured partner invaluable to the protection and interpretation of the world-class paleontological resources found in the Garden Park fossil area," said Keith Berger, BLM Royal Gorge field manager. "The BLM plans to continue supporting that partnership."

Stone said the society will continue to look for a facility for its exhibits and collections and a place for its volunteers to continue to work on world-class fossils.

In the meantime, some of the museum's exhibits will be moved to the Royal Gorge Regional Museum and History Center at 612 Royal Gorge Blvd.

"While we are saddened to see the Dinosaur Depot Museum close, we are excited to obtain a small modicum of the exhibits for display in our regional museum," said Lisa Studts, archivist curator. "We can't house the entire extensive collection of exhibits that the Dinosaur Depot Museum is known for, but we are happy to honor the valuable paleontological history of the Fremont County area."

Collections not housed at the museum will be placed in secured facilities and the society will continue to hold permits to work and collect fossils in the Garden Park fossil area and to be a repository for federal fossils.

The GPPS board plans to continue to raise funds for a larger facility and to employ a feasibility study. Those interested in contribute may call Stone at 269-7150 or email him at jstone@dinosaurdepot.com

The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week though February. Items in the museum gift shop also will be discounted. For more information, call the Dinosaur Depot at 269-7150.